(Edited) Sunday reflections: (From:) Liturgical years 2014 (A), 2015 (B), and 2016 (C)
February 23, 2014
Liturgical readings
Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18
Psalm 103
1 Corinthians 3:16-23
Matthew 5:38-48
"His sun rises on the bad and the good."
When Christ spoke of the importance of love of enemies in the gospel of Matthew, He emphasized this counsel with a reference to Jewish Law in Exodus 21:23-25. In that Exodus passage from the Old Testament, the Jewish Law quotes an "eye for eye". The context of this quote is a law that must be obeyed when a man hurts another man's pregnant wife, and causes her to have a miscarriage:
"...you shall give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe" (Exodus 21:24).
Christ however puts love and forgiveness as a value greater than this Jewish law. By sacrificing His life on the cross to save mankind, He exemplified well this teaching. St. Gregory (ca. 540-604 A.D.) also made a comment on this:
"[Christ's] prayer to God was pure...for in the midst of His suffering...He prayed for His persecutors: 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing'".
It is natural for man to strike back when it is struck by another. This is instinctive for any man's survival. However, Christ teaches a wisdom that connects us to heaven, more than to this world with its animal instincts. It is a wisdom that helps us to pray and work for the perfection God wants of us. We all know the basic command that men should not kill. Christ's counsel to forgive our enemies elevates our soul from just the instinctual level to hurt whoever offended us. It is not an easy counsel to practice, but through the Spirit of Christ in the Sacraments, and perseverance in doing what is good and right, we can be more merciful and forgiving.
Scripture quotes for reflection:
You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart (Leviticus 19)
The Lord pardons all your iniquities; He heals all your ills (Psalm 103)
The temple of God is holy, and we are His temple (1 Corinthians 3)
Give to the man who begs from you; do not turn your back on the borrower (Matthew 5)
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